“‘The trouble, Mason, is that you find too many bodies.’“Mason said, ‘No. The trouble is that I can’t stay in my office and wait for people to come in and see me the way clients are supposed to. I have to get out on the firing line. When you do that, you circulate around quite … Continue reading ABA-DABA-HONEY-MURDER: The Case of the Haunted Husband

“I’ll never forget the way he kissed me just before he beat it with all of my money.” On a fateful day in 1930, a young woman walked into the San Francisco offices of private detectives Sam Spade and Miles Archer. Miss Wonderley asked them to find her missing sister, who had gotten herself involved … Continue reading WEDDING BELLE BLUES: The Case of the Curious Bride

“‘Gosh, Della, can’t you scare me up a good mystery?’ Della Street said, ‘I’ve handled all the routine mail. This is the important stuff which needs your personal attention.’ Mason pushed the mail to one side. ‘Shucks, Della, I hate letters. Letters are inanimate. I like people. People are animate. I like to puzzle with human … Continue reading 2023 REPRINT OF THE YEAR, PART 1: The Case of the Rolling Bones

“Hamilton Burger arose ponderously to his feet. ‘Just a moment, Your Honor’, he said. ‘I’d like to be heard on that question. I believe there has been a very deliberate attempt on the part of someone, and I am not at the present time naming that someone, although I hope to be able to do … Continue reading TIME OUT FOR GINGER: The Case of the Restless Redhead

“Next time I run across anyone who is borrowing a brunette, I’m going to let him keep her!” There’s a comforting sameness at the beginning of a Perry Mason novel that is reminiscent of a Sherlock Holmes story. A client comes into the office to consult Mason on a problem. Like Baker Street sleuth, the lawyer is … Continue reading SHE WALKS IN BEAUTY LIKE . . . The Case of the Borrowed Brunette

Let’s get the icky stuff out of the way first: a young blonde woman with a fresh black eye shows up at Perry Mason’s office, and he never expresses concern for her safety or well-being, never offers her a sympathetic comment, an ice pack or a raw steak. In fact, his early questions are disappointingly … Continue reading GENTLEMEN PREFER . . . The Case of the Black-Eyed Blonde